Flatwork washer



Nov.. 2l, 1950 v o. s. VIGERUST FLATwoRK WASHER 5 Sheets-Shqet l Filed Feb. 8, 1946 R. s m n w I.I A R M l. O

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vNqv. 21, 1950 n' o. s. VIGERUST FLmvoRK wAsrmR 5 Sheets-S` heet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1946 w a wa/maa M Mw Attorneys Nov.` 21, 1950 o, s, vlGERUsT 2,530,494

FLATWORK WASHER Filed Feb. 8, 1946 5 Shee's--Sheekl 5 30 FLAT wa I n vento r OLIVER J. [06F/P057' Attorney:

Nov. 21, 1950 o. s. viel-:RUST 2,530,494

FLATwoRK WASHER Filed Feb. s, 194e 5 sheets-sheet 4 I Vento r YByWfMWFQW" I Attorneys Nov. 21, 1950 0, s, VIGERUST 2,530,494

FLAjrwoRK WASHER Filed F'eb. 8, 1946 SheelZSl-Sheet 5 Attorneys Inventor Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLATWORK WASHER Oliver S. Vigerust, La' Tuna, Tex.

Application February 8, 1946, Serial No. 646,437

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to laundering machines and more particularly to a flat work washer in which foraminous endless belts are employed to move flat pieces of fabric such as sheets, towels and the like, automatically through a series of tanks for diverse washing treatments and thereafter through novel drying apparatus for discharge to a flat Work ironer.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved means including agitators for increasing the effectiveness of the washing treatments applied to the fabrics. Y

Another object is to provide new and improved apparatus for conditioning the laundered fabrics for ironing prior to discharge thereof to the flat Work ironer.

A further object is to provide new and improved means for controlling the temperature of the treating fluids.

An additional Objectis to provide a new and improved drive for the foraminous belts and the aforesaid agitators.

VThe foregoing and additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a view in elevation of the ilat work washer with portions of the tanks being broken away to illustrate various features of construction;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the left hand end of the washer as viewed in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view as viewed along the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional View as seen along the line 5 5 of Figure 3; y

Figure 6 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary View of the right end portion of the washer as viewed in Figure l; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 1 1 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof it will be seen that the washer comprises seven tanks generally designated 9 through I5 and forming a unitary structure having a bottom wall I6, side walls I1 and I8, end walls I9 and 20, and partitions 2| through 23. While the seven tanks are thus formed by partitioning the unitary tank, it will be understood that separate tanks may be employed, if desired. The unitary tank structure may be supported above ground level in any convenient manner such, for example, as by a supporting frame-work including post or upright The iiat work such as pieces 30 and 3| are con veyed through tanks 9 to I5 between a pair of endlessforaminous belts 32 and 33. Theibelts *69 length thereof. Similar pipes 51 and 33 areiin'-1 may be formed of any suitable material for the purpose such, for example, as wire mesh. The belts are caused to move together through the tanks on the same rollers therein, the arrangement of the rollers being the same in Vall the tanks. Accordingly, it will suffice to describe only one of the tanks which may be identical in all other details as well.

Belts 32 and 33 enter tank 9 over a roller 34', belt 32 being fed thereto from rollers 35 and 33 and belt 33 being fed from roller 31, all of which rollers are supported for rotation between end brackets 38 and 39. The belts move along end wall I9 to the bottom of tank 9, thence around a roller 49 and diagonally upwardly to a roller 4Iy from whence the belts are passed diagonally downwardly and under a roller 42 at the bottom of tank 9 and thence upwardly along the partitien 2i between tanks 9 and I9 and over a roller 43 into tank lil, rollers 43, 4I and 42 being supported for rotation between sidewalls I1 and I8 and roller 43 being supported for rotation between brackets 44 and 45 which'may be secured to or formed integrally with the side walls Il and I8 respectively, as is desired.

The belts pass over a roller 46 upon leaving tank I5,belt :i2 being fed from roller 45 over rollers 41 and 4S adjacent the flat Workironer 49, upon which at work piece 3| is being discharged, and thence over roller 50, a plurality of rollers 5I and roller 52 back to roller 36. Belt 33 is fed from roller 46 over rollers 53 and 54, and thence over a plurality of rollers 55 back to roller 31,'. Rollers 46, 41, 48, 53 and 54 are supported for rotation between a pair of end brackets 5S which also may serve to support a fan housing or canopy 5l and electric fan 58 for drawing heat from a f plurality of steam coils 59 through the washed fiat work after the saine has passed between rollers 43 and 54 which are rubber covered and arranged in closely spaced relation so as to serve as wringers. Steam coils 59 also conveniently may be supported by end brackets 56.

Rollers 59 and 52 are conveniently journalled between supporting posts 21, rollers 5I are journalled between `side Walls I1 and i3, and rollers 55 are journalled for rotation between oppositely disposed brackets 44 and 45. p

Each of tanks 9 through l5 has three rotary agitators 60, 6I and 62 mounted therein adjacent rollers 4U, 4I and 42 respectively and supported for rotation by side walls I1 and I8. The agitators may be. identical and preferably are formed with four blades 33 disposed equidistantly about a shaft 64 which is extended through side walls I1 and I8. Intermediate agitator 59 and roller 4U and co-extensive therewith is a pipe 65 having a plurality of ports or nozzles t6 therein disposed at predetermined intervals along the terposed between roller 4I and agitator 5I and between roller 42 and agitator 62 respectivelyV pipes 65, 61 and 68 have bended portions which are joined by a union 69. The union in turn is connected to a pipe l which-leads through the tank individual thereto to a fluid pump 'Il adapted to be driven by an electric motor l2. The fluid pumped upwardly through pipe 'I8 and thence discharged through the nozzles 66 in pipes 65, 6l

and 68 is returned to the pump through a pipe 'I3 which interconnects the tank individual thereto and its associated pump.

The Water and detergent which collects at the bottom of the tanks conveniently may be heated to desired temperature by passing steam thereinto from a steampipe 'I4 connected to the steam coils 29 and extended'along the bottom of the tanks, the pipe having a plurality of suitable steam outlets 'I5 therein individual to the several tanks.

The rollers and agitators are, driven synchronously from an electric motor 1S supported on a support member 28, the motor being provided with a driving pulley ll which is adapted to drive a similar pulley 'I8 carried on a shaft 'I9 by reason of the endless belt 8 trained therebetween. Shaft 'IS is journalled in suitable brackets 8I supported on side wall Il and has a plurality of Worms 32 secured thereto for rotation therewith. Worms 82 are so mounted as to mesh with worm gears 33 and ed` secured for rotation with either of roller ad and agitator 60 or roller 42 and agitator E2 respectively.

Shaft i9 also carries a pulley 85 which drives a similar pulley 86 carried on a shaft 8l by means of the endless belt SS trained therebetween. Shaft 81 and its journal supports may be identical to those of shaft 19. Likewise, the worms mounted thereon and the worm gears driven thereby may be identical to those associated with shaft 79, the worm gears 83 and 815 driven by shaft 8T, however, being employed to drive rollers 4I and agitators 6 I.

Shaft 81 also carries a pulley 89 which drives a similar pulley 90 by means 'of an endless belt SI. Pulley 9B is carried by a shaft 92 which is journalled in brackets 93 supported on side wall I1. Shaft 92 also carries a plurality of worms 82 for driving worm 'gears 83 and 84 individual thereto and secured to corresponding rollers 413 and 55.

If desired, the foregoing driving connections for the rollers and agitators may be provided on both sides of the washer. Moreover, if desired,

motors 'I2 may be dispensed with and pumps li i driven from shaft I9 as by belt and pulley connections extended therebetween.

From the foregoing the operation of the Washer should be obvious, it being understood the several tanks may be used for applying diierent washing treatments to the atwork passed therethrough. For example, tanks 9 and I0 might contain suds, tank II suds and bleach, tank I2 first rinse, tank I3 second rinse, tank It sour bath and tank I5 blue bath. In each tank the detergent is forced 'by pump through the flatwork as it passes the nozzles 68 and the agitators keep the water stirring thereby creating a whirlpool which keeps the soil and detergent in motion.

It should now be apparent that a flatwork washer has been provided which is well adapted to fulfill the aforestated objects of the invention. Moreover, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in particularity, it will be understood that various additional embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: Y

l. In a fiatwork washer of thel character disclosed, the combination of a plurality of tanks adapted to contain liquid, a pair of endless foraminous belts adapted to be passed progressively through the tanks with atwork pieces carried therebetween, a plurality of nozzles in each tank and disposed adjacent said belts therein, a detergent in each tankand means for forcing the detergent through said nozzles and onto the flatwork pieces carried by the belts, a plurality of rotary agitators in each tank and arranged adjacent to said nozzles therein, a. plurality of rollers in each of said tanks yfordirecting the belts in a predetermined paththerethrough' adjacent said nozzles and agitators therein, said rollers and agitators being grouped in pairs, a pair of worin gears secured t'o each adjacent pair of rollers and agitators, a drive shaft, a plurality of worms oarried by said shaft, each of the worms being disposed between and in nesh with a pair of Worm gears, and means for driving the shaft.

` 2, In a flatwork Washer of the character disclosed, the combination of a plurality of tanks adapted to contain liquid, a pair of endless foraminous belts being adapted to be passed progressively through the tanks with atwork pieces carried therebetween, a plurality of nozzles in each tank and disposed adjacent said belts therein, a detergent in each tank and means for forcing the detergent through said nozzles and onto the flatwork pieces carried by the belts, a plurality of rotary agitators in each tank and arranged adjacent to said nozzles therein, a plurality of rollers in each of said tanks for conveying the belts together therethrough and disposed therein so as to cause the belts to traverse a substantially W-s'haped path in each tank, one of said nozzles being disposed in the vertex of each V of the W-shaped path, one of said rotary agitators being disposed adjacent each nozzle in the V of each W-shaped path, and means for driving said rollers and agitators from a common source of power therefor. l

3. A washer as in claim 2, said nozzles each being disposed between a roller and agitator which, in combination with the adjacently disposed portions of the belts and atwork piece, carried thereby, forms a substantially enclosed space into which the nozzles discharge.

4. A washer as in claim 2, said driving means Vincluding ashaft having worms keyed thereto,

said rollers and agitators having worm gears, and the worm gears, connected to the adjacently disposed rollers and agitators, being disposed in spaced, adjacent relationship to accommodate one of the worms therebetween and with which said worm gears are enmeshed.

OLIVER S. VIGERUST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

' 'UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 242,045 Reilly May 24, 1881 1,337,072 y Putman- Aug. 9, 1921 1,487,914 Booth Mal'. 25, 1924 2,064,512 Wilson et al. Dec. 15, 1936 2,108,188 Batchelder Feb. 15,1938

` v FOREIGN PATENTS NumberY v Y y Country Date ,Y

820,781 France Aug. 9, 1937 

